Press Releases
Kaine, Cardin Criticize Decision To Prevent Syrians Fleeing Violence From Applying For Protected Status In U.S.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the Committee's ranking member, released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syrians currently in the program, but failed to expand these protections to the Syrians fleeing violence who arrived in the United States after August 2016. Last week, Kaine and Cardin led nine of their colleagues in … Continue Reading
February 01, 2018
Kaine Asks Education, Labor, Health & Human Services Departments How They Are Working To Prevent Harassment
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee joined HELP Ranking Member Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and nine colleagues on the HELP Committee in sending letters to Secretary DeVos at the Department of Education, Secretary Acosta at the Department of Labor and Secretary Azar at the Department of Health and Human Services, requesting information on their efforts to provide a safe workplace free of harassment. Each letter … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Kaine Statement On President Trump's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after President Trump's State of the Union Address: "For the past year, Americans have been let down by a President who thrives off division and stands in the way of compromise on important issues. I brought Lakesha Cole as my guest tonight because I want to draw attention to areas we should all be able to agree on - like lowering unemployment for military spouses, making real federal investments in infrastructure … Continue Reading
January 30, 2018
Warner & Kaine Celebrate Virginia Indian Tribes Bill Becoming Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner celebrated the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2017 finally being signed into law, after decades of bipartisan efforts by Virginia's elected officials. Kaine and Warner secured final passage of the bill earlier this month. Six Virginia tribes-the Chickahominy, the Eastern Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, the Rappahannock, the Monacan, and the Nansemond-will now have the federal … Continue Reading
January 29, 2018
Kaine, Cardin Lead Letter Urging Trump Administration To Extend TPS Status For Syria
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), and SFRC Ranking Member Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), led a group of Senators urging Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen to extend and re-designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria which is due to expire in March. The Senators highlighted a travel advisory the State Department issued earlier this month declaring that "no … Continue Reading
January 29, 2018
Kaine Invites Military Spouse From Portsmouth To State Of The Union
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine announced that his guest at Tuesday's Presidential State of the Union Address will be Portsmouth, VA native, military spouse, and entrepreneur Lakesha Cole. Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Co-Chair of the Senate Military Family Caucus, and the proud father of a Marine, has made reducing military spouse unemployment one of his top priorities over the past year in the Senate. Last year, Kaine met with groups of military … Continue Reading
January 26, 2018
Warner & Kaine Now Accepting Applications For U.S. District Judge, Western District of Virginia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are now accepting applications for the position of U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia to succeed Glen E. Conrad, who declared senior status after 41 years on the bench. An independent panel of lawyers assembled by the Senators will review applications and interview qualified individuals. The Senators will use those recommendations, as well as input from bar associations and experts, as they consider … Continue Reading
January 25, 2018
Kaine Introduces Bill To Hold Insurance Companies Accountable For Adequate Mental Health Coverage
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 18 of their colleagues to introduce the Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act, which will hold health insurers accountable by ensuring they provide adequate mental health benefits as a part of health care coverage plans and increase transparency for consumers seeking coverage for mental illness and substance use disorders. Under current federal law, most insurance plans must provide mental health … Continue Reading
January 25, 2018
Warner, Kaine, Schatz & Connolly To Reintroduce Bill To Give Federal Workers A Raise
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) to reintroduce the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, a bill that would provide federal employees with a three percent pay increase in 2019. Since 2010, federal employees have lost more than a billion dollars in wages due to sequestration and a three-year freeze on federal pay. Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) reintroduced this legislation in the House of Representatives as … Continue Reading
January 24, 2018
Kaine Statement On U.S. Park Police Shooting That Resulted In Death Of Bijan Ghaisar
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today following Fairfax County Police's release of video showing the U.S. Park Police shooting that resulted in the death of Fairfax County resident Bijan Ghaisar: "I am deeply troubled by the disturbing footage of repeated shots fired at Bijan Ghaisar by U.S. Park Police. My staff has met with Bijan's family, and I am calling on the FBI to further investigate and provide details on the events surrounding this … Continue Reading
January 24, 2018
After Months Of Work, Warner & Kaine Praise Six-Year Reauthorization Of Children's Health Insurance Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine and Mark Warner praised the six-year reauthorization of Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that they helped secure as part of a bipartisan agreement this week. Today, the Northam Administration is sending letters to tens of thousands of Virginia families to inform them that they will continue to receive health care coverage through CHIP, after months of uncertainty due to inaction by Republican leadership in Congress. "For months, Virginia … Continue Reading
January 23, 2018
Kaine Statement On Passing Of Wyatt Tee Walker
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the passing of Wyatt Tee Walker: "I was deeply saddened when I heard that Reverend Wyatt Tee Walker, whom I have known and admired for many years, passed away today. A graduate of Virginia Union University, Reverend Walker was part of a long Virginia tradition of Baptists fighting for justice. As pastor of Gillfield Baptist Church and founder of the Petersburg Improvement Association, he was instrumental in … Continue Reading
January 23, 2018
Kaine, Merkley, Young, McCain Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Burmese Ethnic Cleansing, Calling For Safe Repatriation of Rohingya
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Todd Young (R-IN), and John McCain (R-AZ) today introduced a bipartisan Senate resolution condemning the Burmese campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya and calling for the "safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable return" of the refugees who have been displaced by this violence. The Senators were also joined by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris … Continue Reading
January 22, 2018
Warner & Kaine Statement On Today's Bipartisan Agreement To Reopen The Government
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees, released this statement after voting for a bill that will end the shutdown and fund the government through February 8, following a bipartisan agreement to address critical national security and domestic priorities: "We voted against the House Republican Continuing Resolution on Friday night because it left unaddressed too … Continue Reading
January 20, 2018
Warner & Kaine Statement On Republicans Forcing A Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Tonight, U.S. Senators Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement: "A year after Donald Trump became President, he and Republican leaders in Congress have delivered the shutdown he's been calling for. Those who will suffer the most from his actions are federal employees and DoD personnel in Virginia who have already been hurt as we lurch … Continue Reading
January 18, 2018
Kaine & Warner Ask Trump Administration To Add Offshore Drilling Meetings In Virginia Beach & On Eastern Shore
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke asking him to add public meetings in Virginia Beach and on the Eastern Shore to give local residents the opportunity to share their opinions on the Trump Administration's offshore drilling proposal. These two areas, which would be directly impacted by this decision, are not currently included on the list of 23 locations where the Department has announced in-person public … Continue Reading
January 18, 2018
Kaine Statement On Trump Administration Announcement To Keep U.S. Troops In Syria Beyond The Counter ISIS Mission
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement following Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's announcement that the Trump Administration will keep U.S. military forces in Syria for objectives beyond countering ISIS: "I am deeply alarmed that yet again, the Trump Administration continues to raise the risk of unnecessary war, disconnected from any firm policy objectives and core national security … Continue Reading
January 18, 2018
Warner & Kaine Statement On House Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement opposing the one-month Continuing Resolution scheduled for a vote in the House today, which would perpetuate budgetary dysfunction and uncertainty for Virginia and the nation: "We oppose the House Continuing Resolution, which punts budget discussions until mid-February. Congress … Continue Reading
January 17, 2018
Sens. Warner & Kaine Stand Up To Protect Consumer Bureau's Independence
~ Forty senators urge congressional leaders to reject political interference at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ~ WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, and Sen. Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of 40 Senate Democrats in standing up for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) independence and power to obtain justice for consumers who have been wronged by large financial institutions. In a letter today, the Senators urged Senate … Continue Reading
January 16, 2018
Warner & Kaine Ask DHS To Reverse Decision Ending Protected Status For Salvadorans
~ Senators say decision to end TPS status will "uproot thousands of well-established lives" and "devastate families and communities" ~ WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) joined a group of 27 Senate Democrats in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Nielsen urging DHS to reverse its decision to end Temporary Protection Status (TPS) designation for El Salvador. Earlier this week, DHS announced it would be ending TPS designation for the nearly … Continue Reading
